The University of Texas at San Antonio is set to demolish the downtown Institute of Texan Cultures (ITC) building and move it to a temporary home in late 2025.
The university is cleared to do so after the Texas Historical Commission granted UTSA a demolition permit to allow redevelopment plans of its Hemisfair campus, according to a release from UTSA.
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In April of this year, the ITC museum paused operations in its former space in the Texas Pavilion to prepare to move to Frost Tower while they continue to look for a permanent location. Since then, the museum has gone into local schools to continue to tell stories of Texas history.
“The redevelopment of the ITC museum is part of UTSA’s larger vision for expansion in downtown San Antonio,” the release said.
The permit is good news for the city and developers’ plan to re-vamp downtown through Project Marvel, a multi-billion dollar sports and entertainment district that would include a new arena for the San Antonio Spurs.
There were concerns that the history of the ITC could prevent its demolition, which would have been a major hurdle to development of the district.
At the urging of the Conservation Society of San Antonio last month, the Texas Historical Commission designated the former ITC building a State Antiquities Landmark (SAL). That meant it could not be altered or demolished without the commission’s approval.
The City of San Antonio already has an exclusive option to purchase or lease the ITC and the approximately 13.59 acres that it sits on in the Hemisfair campus, conditionally granted by the UT System Board of Regents.
Those 13.59 acres are widely believed to be meant for the multi-billion dollar district the city has been secretly planning, dubbed “Project Marvel.”
“As part of the process, UTSA will continue to partner with the THC to ensure the legacy of the Texas Pavilion is brought to life through community engagement and digital displays in the future museum,” the release said.
The ITC museum is expected to re-open in late 2025 in its interim home in Frost Tower.